Stave-drying apparatus.



STAVE DHYING APPARATUS.

(Application led Jan. 24, 1901.)

(No Model.)

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W'ARREN Il. HINES, OF POPLARBLUFF, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR TO LOW'ELL M. PALMER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

STAVE-DRYING PPRATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 691,140, dated January 14, 1902. Application filed January 24, 1901. Serial No. 44,492. (No model.)

.T0 @ZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, WARREN I1. HINEs, a citizen of the United States, residing atPoplarbluff, in the county of Butler and State of Missouri, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stavo-Drying Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification.

My invention relates to an apparatus for drying barrel-staves, the apparatus, briefly described, consisting of a frame-work within which the staves are piled in tiers and Iiexible separators arranged between the staves in such positions as to permit the passage of air between and around the staves, whereby they may be effectually dried while held under pressure applied to the framework.

My invention further consists in the details of construction hereinafter set forth and claimed.

Figure I is a perspective view showing separators of the construction utilized in my apparatus. Fig. II is a view of the apparatus in end elevation, showing tiers of staves positioned therein under pressure. Fig. III is a detail top view of the lower stave-supporting frame. Fig. IV is a detail perspective View of one end of the crowning-frame. Fig. V is a detail perspective view of one end of the lower stave-supporting frame.

1 designates sills upon which cross-beams 2 are placed, the sills and cross-beams being suflicicnt in number to provide for the proper support of the staves piled above them. Surmounting the cross-beams 2 is a supportingframe, upon which the staves to be dried are piled in tiers, the supporting-frame being composed of longitudinal bars 3 and crossbars 6. Each cross-bar 6 is formed with pockets 7, adapted to receive the bottom staves of the piles or tiers, the pockets being concave to receive and shape the lower staves ofthe tiers, the surmounting staves in turn receiving their proper shape or form from the ones beneath.

Separator-s are placed between the staves when piled in tiers upon the supportingframe. These separators are composed of bars 9, to which are applied flexible crossing strips 10. The crossing strips 10 may be of iiat, round, or other suitable form, as seen in Fig. I, and may be of leather, metal, rope, or any other suitable flexible material that will give and conform tothe shape of the ooncaves of the bars 6. Each separator-bar is provided with notches 12, that receive uprights 13, extending from bottom to top of the apparatus and by which the separators are confined in uniform assembled positions.

On top of the pile of staves is a crowningframe. This frame consists of longitudinal bars 1S and cross-bars 16, secured thereto. Each of the cross-bars 16 is provided with convex projections 17, that are adapted to seat upon the upper staves of the piles or tiers and, with the bars 6, hold the staves throughout the piles in their proper shape while being dried. Above the crowning-frames are cross-beams 19, similar to the cross-beams 2. The cross-beams 2 receive the connection of rods 20, joined to rods 2l by turnbuckles 22. Connected to the cross-beams 19 are yokes 23, the Shanks 24 of which pass through the cross-beams 19 and are equipped with nuts 25. The yokes receive the upper ends of the rods 21, and these rods within the yokes are surrounded by spiral springs 26, that bear against the heads of the rods.

In the practical use of the apparatus the supporting-frame is first positioned on the cross-beams 2, and the staves are piled thereon in tiers, the separators being put in position between the staves as they are piled, thus leaving interstices between the staves, through which hot air may enter around the staves to dry them. When the staves have been piled to the desired height, the crowning-frame is put in place above the piles, and the cross-beams 19 are laid across the crowning-frame. The connecting-rods 2O and 21, with the yokes 23, are next connected to the cross-beams 2 and 19, the beams being preferably slotted at their ends (see Fig. II) to permit the ready application of the rods and yokes thereto. Pressure is then applied to the piles of staves by tightening the nuts 25 above the cross-beams 19 on the yoke-Shanks 24, and the staves are thus put under pressure between the supporting and crowning frames and held in the proper form between IOO the concave pockets '7 and convex projections 17. In tightening the nuts 25 the springs 26 are put under tension, and as the staves dry and shrinkage occurs the springs compensate for such shrinkage by drawing the crowning-frame downwardly and lessening the distance between the supporting and crowning frames.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a stave-drying apparatus, the combination of a framework within which the staves are piled in tiers, separators comprising bars and flexible crossing strips, and means for effecting pressure upon the staves, substantially as described.

2. In a stave-drying apparatus, the combination of a framework within which the staves are piled in tiers, flexible separators arranged between the staves throughout the tiers, means by which said separators are confined, and means for effecting pressure upon the staves, substantially as described.

WARREN H. HINES.

In presence of- GEo. WINDSOR, J. R. HALL. 

